7-Quick Takes

1. Yawn, stretch, wave! I took an unintended but much needed blogging break! It started last week as I was getting ready for the state homeschooling convention but after that every time I walked by the computer I just didn't feel like blogging. So rather than bore you all with a half-hearted attempt, I rested. And it was good.

2. My aunt (she's really my husband's aunt but I spent so much time talking with her I feel like she's mine too!) died last week from stage IV ovarian cancer. She was diagnosed a year before my mom and lasted a year past mom. She was a fighter, but she was also a very gentle and good spirited lady. We spent time together last year at the family reunion. She knew the disease had killed my mother and we spent some time talking about that and her treatments. I thought she was very brave. I know Uncle Lawrence and all of her children will miss her very much.

3. My mom's first cousin (my first cousin once removed for those of you versed in geneology) lost his wife recently too. I spent quite a bit of time in the sympathy card section of the store looking for something appropriate to send and I was impressed with the selections. It seems that card writers are more in touch with what people want to say about love and loss than they were even a few years ago. There were also lots with verses from scripture, which also pleased me.

4. One of my other cousins (first cousin once removed - it's not so hard to follow geneology lines once you get the hang of it) was inspired to send me the book As A Peace-Loving Global Citizen. She wrote me a lovely note and said she felt inspired to send it to me, not to undermine my faith but I think rather to share hers. So I am looking forward to starting it.

5. Last week, Mr. Pete and I manned a booth at the CHEO convention. The booth was for our support group and was the only Catholic booth at the convention. As I was sitting there a woman came up and asked me if I was having a good time and if people were being nice to me, because "sometimes Christians aren't very nice to Catholics." It was a very interesting exchange and I'll be blogging more on that later.

6. While I was there I learned a lot about a program called College Plus . This is basically a coaching and planning program that helps you through the CLEP test process until you have enough credits to apply to a program like Thomas Edison State College. What intrigues me about the program is that for between $12,000 and $15,000, my child can have his Bachelor's degree. I'll be blogging more that later as well.

7. Calvin lost his roommate about a month ago. It seems the young man just had a hard time learning how to manage his money and so Calvin had to find a new roommate. So without any advice or guidance from us, he put an ad on Craig's List for a roommate and then set about interviewing roomies. He had like six guys and one woman apply. I had my fingers crossed that he wouldn't chose the woman. But as it turned out the guys were completely clueless! Either they didn't have jobs or they they had part time jobs at minimum wage, and one of them Calvin couldn't even understand his speech. So to my shock - he picked the woman. Calvin's girlfriend wasn't very happy about it either. But the new roommate is in her 30s, she paid cash, she works full time and is studying for her master's degree so she is barely every there. When she is there she is exceptionally neat. He said it's like NOT having a roommate. So we'll see how it works out. Parenting a young adult out on his own could be summed up like this - all the stress/ none of the power!

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It seems that one of the biggest events in confirmation preparation in this country is the letters of support to be given to the confirmation candidates during their mandatory retreats.

I have three such letters saved on this blog:

Confirmation letter to my daughterConfirmation letter to my fourth sonConfirmation letter to to my third son
I've asked my children what they remember about the letter they got from me and their dad, and also what they remembered about the letters they received.
The answer was not much, or at least nothing specific. In general they were happy to have gotten a bag full of letters and there was a sense of feeling loved and supported. I guess that's the main thing - for them to have a sense that this is an important step in their spiritual growth, and that people they know, love and respect have taken the time out of their lives to let them know that!
So here are some tips on procuring and writing letters for young confirmation candidates. Start thinkin…

March 5 and 6, 2010
My Dearest Gabe;
I can’t express to you enough what a wonderful gift you have been to your father and me from the very moment you were born. You have always been such a beautiful, good natured, fun loving and enjoyable baby, little boy and now young man. I am so proud of you and so honored to be your mother.

You know Gabe, you have always been a big guy. When I was pregnant with you the midwife was always amazed at how big you were getting inside of my stomach. And when you came out (with much effort!) you were as big as some 3 month olds! You have stayed ahead of the curve in size for kids your age. I think it is because God has given you a big heart. You are so full of love and joy you needed a big heart to keep it all in and a big body to hold it all. You are my gentle giant.

I know God has a special plan for you and I look forward to helping you figure out what that might be. Always hang on to the memory of these times, remember all that your father and I…

In a few weeks you will be confirmed as a full member of the Catholic Church. Congratulations! I know that you have really worked hard to understand and learn as much about your Catholic faith as you could before receiving this sacrament.
On your retreat there are a few things your Dad and I would like you to remember -

You were our fourth son in a row but you have always been a unique little boy. I love your bright blue eyes, all of those freckles and dimples. I guess God really wanted you to tap into your Celtic Heritage!

I love how you are always ready with a quick smile for everyone.

I loved how even when you were a baby you would cry when a baby on t.v. was crying, or if a kid outside was crying or basically when you saw anyone crying - you didn't even have to know why - you just did. That's great empathy and you still have that today. Don't lose that. It's a great gift to be able to relate to people even when they are at their lowest.15 R…

This is from a discussion I participated on over at the now defunct Birth Control and Catholic Church Forum aka the boardIlovetocommenton. This was a very pro-contraception, dissident Catholic discussion board. I originally posted this on January 21, 2004. Their points initalics, and my responses are highlighted.

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One key point we keep making on the discussions is about how and why the sex act is actually used by married couples, and in this sense, there is absolutely no difference between NFP and ABC in the acts couples make use of (assuming they're using NFP to avoid conception). I would disagree. The is a key element in the practicing Catholic couple's use of NFP in the marital act, is their respectful understanding and acceptance of the teaching of the Catholic Church as well as their submission to that in obedience to Christ's teaching. This is something that is fundamentally missing from the marital act with artificial contraception.

I cannot believe that you are old enough to make your confirmation!! The time has flown by for me! When I was growing up, I always wondered what my own daughter would be like. And I was sure that I would have a daughter because I was the oldest daughter, of the oldest daughter, of the oldest daughter!

But after having your four brothers in a row, even I was beginning to have my doubts! But God had you in the plan after all!

I was amazed when you were born - at your beauty and femininity -at just at how lucky we were to have you!

You were a special surprise too because you came only 15 months after your brother Noah! But as hard as it was having two babies at the same time, I love how close you two have always been, and grateful that you would always have each other to love and count on.

Of course you know you were named for your grandpa Isadore - whom I sure you would have loved very much. In some ways you are very much like him - quietly keeping things to …

God's Not Dead is an uplifting and enjoyable Christian-based movie appropriate for students from elementary school through college and their parents. We went with two of my teenage children and my 8-year-old daughter and we all enjoyed the movie and have had many discussions about it since.

We enjoyed it as a family, but I would also recommend this movie for church youth groups and homeschooling groups. I hope to buy the DVD when it comes out to donate it to our parish.

The premise of the movie involves a freshman philosophy student's challenge to defend the existence of God to his adversarial and intimidating philosophy teacher and his classmates. The stories of other characters (a preacher, a selfish business man, a young woman caring for her mother with dementia, a successful blogger who faces a devastating diagnosis, and a Muslim convert to Christianity) are woven into the plot line until they are…